Nutrition, diet and body weight Flashcards
what does metabolism mean
the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life
what are catabolic processes
breaking down molecules to release energy in the form of reducing power
what are anabolic processes
using energy and raw materials to make larger molecules for growth and maintenance
name four pathways that contribute to metabolism
- detoxification (remove toxins)
- oxidative (convert food to energy)
- biosynthetic (produce basic building blocks for cells)
- fuel storage + mobilisation (allow fuel to be mobilised when we are not eating or need increased energy)
what is energy
the capacity to do work
what energy do cells use
cells use chemical bond energy to drive energy-requiring activities
name 5 things all living things require energy for
- biosynthetic work (synthesis of cellular components e.g. making proteins)
- transport work (movement of ions and nutrients across membranes e.g. sodium-potassium pump)
- mechanical work (muscle contraction)
- electrical work (nervous conduction)
- osmotic work (kidney)
what are the three components of ATP
adenosine
ribose sugar
3 phosphate groups (alpha, beta, gamma)
ATP-ADP cycle
Process by which cells regenerate ATP. ADP forms when a phosphate group is removed from ATP, then ATP forms again as ADP gains a phosphate group. Allows the controlled release of energy from ATP in cells
energy usage (ATP to ADP + Pi)
ion transport
muscle contraction
biosynthesis
thermogenesis
detoxification
energy production by oxidation of (ADP + Pi to ATP)
lipids
carbohydrates
protein
alcohol
what is dietary fuel that exceeds body’s immediate energy needs stored as
fat in adipose tissue
glycogen in liver or muscle
stores are mobilised between meals and during periods of starvation and prolonged exercise
what is the units of food energy
kilojoule (kJ)
what is a kcal
amount of energy needed to raise temperature of 1kg of water by 1 degree celsius
1kcal = 4.2kJ
what is an exergonic reaction
when the energy released is greater than the energy input
what is an endergonic reaction
when the energy input is greater than the energy released
7 essential components of a normal healthy diet
carbohydrates
protein
fat
minerals
vitamins
water
fibre
what are the macronutrients
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
what are the micronutrients
minerals and vitamins
why is fibre important in our diet
necessary for normal GI function
binds to bile salts and passes out through faeces
lowers cholesterol
what is energy balance
to maintain our body weight we must stay in energy balance i.e. the energy in the food we eat must match our energy consumption over time
four forms of carbohydrates
monosaccharides - single sugar units
disaccharides - 2 sugar units
oligosaccharides - 3-12 sugar units
polysaccharides - 10-1000s sugar units
name the 7 major dietary carbohydrates
starch
sucrose
lactose
fructose
glucose
maltose
glycogen
9 essential amino acids
cannot be synthesised and must be obtained from the diet
what are the 9 essential amino acids
If Learnt This Huge List May Prove Truly Valuable
isoleucine, lysine, threonine, histidine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, valine
what are triacylglycerols
3 fatty acids esterified to one glycerol
does fat contain more energy that carbohydrates
fats contain much less oxygen than carbohydrates or proteins so yield more energy when oxidised
3 types of triacylglycerols
- saturated (no C=C, solid at room temp)
- unsaturated (C=C, liquid at room temp)
- trans (artificially produced)
why are fats important part of diet
- absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) from gut
- energy yield 2.2x greater than carbs or proteins
- provide the essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acid) which are components of cell membranes and precursors of important regulatory molecules
what do electrolytes do
establish ion gradients across membranes + maintain water balance
e.g. sodium, potassium, chloride
Minerals that are electrolytes
sodium, potassium, chloride
minerals that are cofactors for enzymes
iron, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, copper, zinc and molybdenum